'Jacob, I can't see. Why did you turn out ……?'

Cathy sensed rather than felt Jacob's hand come up to silence her. He placed his arm around her waist and pressed her against the wall. The steps leading down to Pater's chambers were always slippery. It was tricky to negotiate even with enough light. In the dark it was risky. Cathy felt unease but trusted that her fiancé knew and sensed when danger was close by. Jacob pressed against her body. He cupped his hand around her ear. At any other time Cathy would have delighted in the feel of his body against her but now there was tension.

'Something is different.' he whispered avoiding the possibility of creating a never ending echo. 'I don't have a sense of Moses and there are unfamiliar whispers.'

Cathy nodded her understanding.

'I am going to investigate. Wait here.'

Cathy nodded again. She pulled a plastic bag from her back pack and sat down on the step to wait for Jacob. The tunnels could be as much of a haven as a trap.

Jacob continued down the steps, slowly, using an inner eyesight as much as memory. He wasn't sure what was happening on the other side of the main chamber but the absence of a member of the community of giants was unusual.

Since his first visit to Pater's chambers with his father last year, Jacob continued to seek out the sanctuary. It had been a place of horror for his parents. His mother had been kidnapped and almost set on fire. His father fought with Pater and the Giants. In an effort to save Cathy who had also been kidnapped, Jacob, his father and friends, came to find John Pater's legacy to secure her release. The entrance via the underground route was long and tedious. After finding the important books from his biological grandfather, the party of four discovered a new way out.

With easier access, Jacob and Cathy continued to visit the secret chambers. It was here that Jacob could find the solitude needed to sort through his concerns and ideas, seeking answers from his ancestors. His grandmother, Coralee, was buried beneath the main chamber. Her body had been beautifully preserved by John Pater, in an act so out of character with his known behaviour. If the chambers held any terrors or negative energy, Jacob felt that his diverse grandparents could easily balance out each other. Coralee Wynters and John Pater were as different as night and day. Their grandson felt both the good and evil but he hoped that good would prevail.

Now as he made his way to the section where Pater had long ago hidden gold and drugs, he felt a different kind of negative energy. A community of Giants, reprogrammed to protect the area, guarded the chambers. On each visit, Jacob would bring several fruits as an offering of peace and thanks. Moses, the apparent chief, would make an appearance as soon as Jacob entered but there was no sense of him or Phister, the second in command. Jacob opened the aperture to the fire room. He quickly stepped aside, hiding from view, not knowing what would be on the other side. He took his time, slowly peeking around the edge of the opening. Moses lay on the floor. Jacob could sense that he was dead. His eyes quickly scanned the room for any sign of others but there was none.

Keeping an eye on all the known openings, he slowly made his way to the giant. It was clear there had been trauma. The body was very cold. Sounds drifted up from various corners of the fire room. The entry point for the giants was hidden and Jacob never ventured past the edge. Only an eerie light came from the general direction of their cavern. Looking around, trying to get a sense of what occurred, Jacob could barely discern the sound of laughter. He climbed up on the ledge on the opposite side and entered the tunnel. He and Cathy often used to sit and talk in this corner. It was here that he first told her of his love. It was also the passage leading to his community.

In the half-light, Jacob heard muddled, drunken voices. He followed the sound to another ledge, overlooking the underground river. Lying flat and peeking over the side, he saw two men, not old, obviously drunk with either drugs or alcohol. The acrid smell of pot drifted upwards. Jacob got up and retraced his steps. He didn't want to leave Cathy alone too long. She would be worried. He stopped to remove the body of Moses. Nothing further could be done for him.

'Cath, are you ok?' he whispered into the dark.

'I'm fine. Are you?' She kept words to a minimum.

With unerring dexterity he found his way to her side.

'Moses is dead. I don't see Phister at all. There are a couple of stoned thugs on a lower ledge.'

'I wonder how they got there?'

'Cathy, I don't want to put you at risk. You should go back.'

'And you will do what? Jacob.'

He was taken aback by her bite.

'I would fight to death for you Cathy but I don't want to create a situation that is dangerous.'

'I am not leaving you here. Tell me what you plan to do. If you run into problems, I can at least get help.'

Jacob sighed. What had he gotten himself into? Cathy served as a very practical resource for him. He was quickly finding out that she had her own strength.

'Ok, the gold room is a safe place for you. I will leave the door open. Any hint of trouble, close it, and leave. You have your cell phone?'

'Of course! Be careful Jacob.'

Jacob returned to the ledge where he had seen the two men. Several echoes in the chambers made it difficult to make sense of their conversation. It wasn't long before things became clear. Phister was seen lumbering towards them. Jacob expected him to attack these invaders but he sat down accepting something from them. A child's innocent smile lit up his face. He quickly inhaled the substance and entered the world of the make believe. Before long, he was on his back, laughing wildly. The two thugs enjoyed the sight of the giant acting like an overgrown child. Once Phister was down they got up and retraced his steps.

Jacob wondered if they followed one of the giants from their outside food source. Making his way down to the ledge which ran along the river, Jacob avoided Phister who appeared to have fallen asleep and tracked the men into the Giant's chambers. What Jacob saw there upset him. It seemed the community was much smaller than he had originally thought. There were few giants, all knocked out or dead. The men had obviously eaten up their resources, drugged them, and disturbed their way of life. Jacob was appalled at the thoughtlessness. Distracted by the scene before his eyes, he was careless and dislodged a stone. The echo in the confines of the chambers sounded like a rock slide. One of the men pulled a gun.

'Who's there?'

'That you big guy? Come for more?'

The laugh was ugly, followed by much swearing.

The light was poor but Jacob had the advantage of incredible sight. He could see the men moving about, walking towards him. Quickly checking out safety possibilities if he were seen, he located one or two items which would be useful.

Jacob had no desire to fight, but these men were too close to Pater's chambers. He would never be able to feel safe if drug addicts and criminals inhabited the area. The men, finding nothing further of value in the giant's chambers started to make their way back to the river ledge. Jacob wrongly assumed they would be leaving in the other direction. He had no idea they were coming back. He turned quickly but not before being seen.

'Geez, who's that Smugg? It ain't the big guy.'

'How the hell should I know? Where's the gun?'

Jacob stopped, not wanting to be shot in the back. 'Hey guys, I'm just lookin' for a little grub.'

'How'd you get in here?' the heavier set man asked, peering at Jacob who was now facing a loaded gun in an unsteady hand.

'I got my own way in. How'd you guys get in?' he asked carelessly, adopting a speech pattern he heard from several clients.

'Stupid guys back there. They're always stealin' from the docks. Followed 'em down.'

Jacob heard Phister stirring behind him. He wasn't sure of whether he would be protected or attacked if the giant woke up. Phister's ability to assess the situation was uncertain.

Jacob knew his inner rage was tightly controlled. He had no wish to unleash his anger. He was committed to trying to avoid confrontation. He wanted to be a man of peace. All his energy was focused on the men but it was impossible to effect any change in them. Drugs altered perception. He could not impact them with positive vibration nor could he safely get close enough to develop a sense of who they were. He had to be ready for any thing, an attack from behind or gunfire in front.

He sensed the Giant rise and start moving towards him. Phister's unsteadiness created a real problem. He wasn't even aware of Jacob as a friend. He was just intent on getting more of the stuff that made him feel good. His raised arms signaled trouble. Phister was so close to Jacob now. The men were also showing fear. They had nothing more to give him.

Phister's roar echoed throughout the chamber. He was almost on top of Jacob who suddenly bent over, tripping the Giant, just as the gun went off harmlessly into the air. Jacob crawled out from under Phister and leaped up to dislodge the two men. Their reflexes were slowed by drugs. They were easy targets for Jacob. He grabbed their necks, and banged their heads together, knocking out the men. The gun flew into the water.

Both men were down. Keeping his senses open to any movement from the giant, Jacob removed the belts of the men and tied their hands together. He quickly stepped back into the Giant's chamber area and grabbed an old skid from the docks that had served as a bed. He pulled both men onto the skid, strapped them down with some old material and set them on the water. The makeshift raft was set adrift in the underground river. Long before the men woke up, they would be in the Hudson river. He knew someone would find them.

Phister was now without a community and family. He lay on the floor moaning. Jacob hadn't been away from the tunnel for an extended period. Surely those guy could not have had too many chances to ply the Giant with drugs. Moses had not been dead that long. If Phister was unable to do without drugs he would be a menace to himself and anyone one else. Leaning over the body, Jacob placed his hands on Phister's head. He prayed and generated an energy field around the body. He hoped it would provide some protection.

'Jacob, are you alright?' Cathy's voice drifted down. It held a hint of concern.

'I'm ok. I'm coming up. Don't move.'

Minutes later, sitting on the upper ledge, Jacob was describing the events to Cathy.

'It is pretty sad. They seemed to have decimated the community. I have no idea how Phister will function until he wakes up. There's nothing left for him.'

'We have to find something for him to do Jacob. If he's busy he will be fine.'

'By the way, I thought I told you to wait inside.'

'I heard the gunfire Jacob. I also heard the bullet ricochet off the walls. They didn't hit you but I wanted to be closer just in case.'

Wrapping his arm around her, Jacob sighed. 'You never cease to amaze me.'